Poor turnout at Laventille devotions

Despite an assurance of a police/army presence, there was a poor turnout at yesterday’s start of the Laventille Devotions.  As a result, there was no need for any heavy police presence.

The usual crowd stayed away, preferring to travel to Siparia where Archbishop Edward Gilbert officiated at the La Divina Pastora mass.  Archbishop Gilbert however sent his blessings to the congregation. Most of the people who went to Laventille came via transport. Peace and harmony pervaded the quiet atmosphere. There was a small police presence. The Devotions  are held in the middle of each month between May and October by members of the Catholic faith.

Usually each year hundreds of devotees  make the long trek from Port-of-Spain to the Church of Our Lady of Laventille — National Marian Shrine, atop the Laventille Hill. However, this year most of them took the option of travelling to the Shrine. While delivering the sermon Fr John Theodore reminded the congregation that the rosary was one of the strongest weapons they possessed against Satan and his followers. He called on the devotees to say their rosary and join the army to fight the battle, which he described as a spiritual one. His entire sermon was based on the theme of this year’s devotion: “Use the Rosary to heal and strengthen our land.” Fr Theodore made no mention of the crime situation that plagued Laventille.